Civic square for charming seaside village

Why not organise a design competition at DIT School of Architecture? It wuld make a great project and you might get some really good ideas.

@handtight wrote:

. . . we have no money.

in Dalkey!

. . . . maybe things are even worse than we thought:rolleyes:

What’s your site?

I don’t want to ignite any UCD vs DIT debate but…
UCD School of Architecture are organising a series of summer workshops.

http://www.nowwhatrichview.blogspot.com/

I don’t speak for the organisers but Im sure they would be happy to include such a project. There is already a similar workshop where the participants are being asked to concider new facilities for a school in Tallaght (workshop #1). It might be too late as I think some of the workshops may already have started, but Im sure if you are serious about it something could be accommodated.

Likewise, I think looking for free designs on a forum like this is a bit cheeky. Some monetary incentive would go a long way towards you and the project being taken seriously. Besides if you don’t have any money to pay for design servises, where is the money for the project to come from?

I can’t think of any good websites off hand, but again the UCD architecure library is free to use (located on Clonskeagh and not the main campus) , and should have plenty of material on the subject.

Emmmmm, Urban Design advice requested not Architecture!!!!!!! – fishy fishy

UCD do a UD course- think it is starting up again this year, along with Queens Belfast

Thanks to all for taking the time to reply.

AMDM: OK I may have gone for the wrong forum but the site could incorporate a built element, either housing or a facility such as a museum, linked to the existing heritage centre.

Spoilsport & Stephen C: appreciate the project/competition suggestions which frankly would never have occurred to me, I will check out both DIT and UCD on this.

There are two sites of interest at this stage. The smaller is the scruffy car park to the front of the railway station. The other I can’t reveal at this point but it’s large enough to accommodate a number of elements and is close to the centre of the village. Also more or less derelict at this point but in private ownership.

My comment about ‘no money’ was a bit disingenuous I admit – the group behind this are new and we call ourselves the Dalkey Civic Forum. A lot of people around the village are interested in what we’re trying to deliver but we didn’t want to broach the issue of funding while we’re just getting off the ground. The plan is to organise some fundraising activities in the autumn.

gunter: Dalkey is badly neglected in terms of its urban fabric compared with best in class comparators such as Kinsale. Has anyone visited Bulloch Harbour recently? It’s so bad under nearly every heading it defies description.

The civic square will be a public space and the intention is to provide a strong focal point for the community which will also make the place more attractive for visitors.

Thanks again for some very helpful suggestions and hope I have dealt adequately with the points raised.

Regards
Reg

The initiative taking place at UCD called now what? is not limited to UCD students or graduates. There are people from DIT, NCAD and beyond taking part. This is one of its strengths – its about connecting people and projects.

There are a number of workshops related to urban design and public space. You can contact the organisers at nowwhatrichview (at) ucd.ie

@keypad wrote:

. . . initiative taking place at UCD called, now what?

now what?

does what? know about this?

now what does what know what about?

One of the UCD workshops is about community involvement in architecture ‘From the ground up’ and discussion will be themed around following assertion:

The Council recognises that people in communities have a right to a view on the planning and development of the areas in which they live and it is Council policy to facilitate people in examining that view. It is Council policy to build on the spirit of partnership so as to ensure real social development.”
Extract from DLRCoCo Development Plan 2004-2010 Section 8

Worshop objectives:
• Making direct links between the wider community and architects, we will explore the potential for defining public space in the DLRCoCo area.
• To engage people and communities in new ways with the future planning of their spaces that will be driven by their needs and interests, made visual by the Architect/community link, from the ground up.

Output:
• Strategies
• Proposals
• Installations

http://www.nowwhatgathering.blogspot.com/

@handtight wrote:

…………..the site could incorporate a built element, either housing or a facility such as a museum, linked to the existing heritage centre. ………………There are two sites of interest at this stage. The smaller is the scruffy car park to the front of the railway station. The other I can’t reveal at this point but it’s large enough to accommodate a number of elements and is close to the centre of the village. Also more or less derelict at this point but in private ownership

The first site, outside the DART station, is about 15 x 15 metres and several hundred metres from the Heritage Centre, and would need to cut off access to seven roads should it be pedestrianised, the only feasible way to create a link. There is a long narrow carpark that is remote from the centre that is needed by those commuters using the DART. Converting that to a park would do nothing for the town.
The other site, which is soooo secret that it cannot be mentioned has to be near the church, probably the space at the rear of the car park. Some people want this to be “greened” to avoid further development in the area.
@handtight wrote:

………………the group behind this are new and we call ourselves the Dalkey Civic Forum. A lot of people around the village are interested in what we’re trying to deliver

Neither the group nor the plan has been heard of in Dalkey, never been mentioned AFAIK in the local community newsletter, that much sought after publication for those who want to object to anything.

@handtight wrote:

……………… Dalkey is badly neglected in terms of its urban fabric compared with best in class comparators such as Kinsale. Has anyone visited Bulloch Harbour recently? It’s so bad under nearly every heading it defies description.

Dalkey has won many awards and in fairness to its community is well kept bar a problem with litter in the supermarket car park. It is untrue to state it is “badly neglected.” Kinsale has water frontage, hotels, a historic fabric and a built heritage that cannot be compared to Dalkey (unless you want to count pubs & restaurants.) Bulloch harbour could be prettified a bit further by removal of some old trailers, etc., , but if you go out in your boat you need to park your car. To suggest it is defies description is rubbish.
What’s the agenda?

Hmmm…lets not get too down on the residents of Dalkey looking to improve their area. It is an exageration to say that the area is badly neglected though. I would think it benefits more than other areas from local authority funds.
However, I think your efforts to create a space for the town should be supported Reg.

Try contacting the Irish Landscape Institute (http://www.irishlandscapeinstitute.com) with regards to seeking advice on setting up a design competition (student, graduate, unemployed or private practice designs should all be accepted. In the current climate there are lots of talented people with lots of time on their hands). Some sort of prize incentive could be provided (money raised by a small entry fee), but as a graduate who can not find work, I would be happy to take part with no incentive other than to simply build on my portfolio and skills during the downturn. I know many others who feel the same.

There are all to often ‘invitation only’ design comps in Ireland and it would be good to see a truly open competition held and gather input from other fields such as Artists, Architects, Landscape Architects, Urban Designers etc. or even better still a collaboration of mixed disciplines.

Also, try contacting the Department of Landscape Design in UCD, they may hold the competition as part of their syllabus for next years design studio course.

Topos is a journal of world wide Landscape Architecture they are bound to have a issue on civic spaces and your should be able to find it in UCDs Richview Library. Alternatively the ILI website has some projects that took place in Ireland displayed, some may be of relevance to your site.

Oh and I don’t think searching for initial free design concepts or something to spark ideas and Interest within the community is cheeky at all. But perhaps a competition is a better way to get interested parties involved.

Good luck.